The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-17
THE LAST. BUFFALO HUNT
The Death OF the Twentieth Buffalo at
the Hands of the Smithsonian Outfit.
Five More Cow $ Added to the Collection-A
Big Bull Disc ,vered-An Exciting Episode
Twenty Buffalo in Two Months.

the Jungief-lof yflghted
On the 18th day of November. which was two
days after our retu IN from the Musselshel Jim
McNaney and Irvii Boyd rode over to the Buffalo
buttes, fell in with four buffalo cows. and, by
brilliant exploit, KILLED them all They also
nearly killed their ,orses in the chase The cows
were strung out all the way from Dan to Beer
sheba, and three miles beyond, and the gather
ing of the skins involved over sixty miles of
haulding with the Wagon. The day after the
kill we started over t the Buffalo buttes, where
the furthest cow lay, hut on tine way Brown and
l drove to one OF the Others, and took both her
skin and skeleton. v. bile we were at this task,
and I was plotting th 9 wagon on over after its
completion, Boyd and Jim fell foul of still an
other cow. and killed her, ALSO
We camped at the Buffalo buttes that night,
and although we talked about remaining there
for day to hunt for nj ,re buffalo. and heartily
wished could, when came to decision not
one of us was really i q favor of it. There
seemed to be an instructive feeling. shared by
ALL which warned US not to do it, And it was q
blessed lucky thing for us that We did not
remain a day longer. Had We done SO We
would have got into a fearful scrape with the
have been the result.
Up TO that time had tsy no means covered
myself with glory as a b. iffalohunter. Eleven
buffalo had been killed by the cowboys, while
was either working on SIX ms ana skeletons.
plotting the wagon, and both Jim and Boyd
were ahead of me the score Aheet. Jim had
killed SO many that could no. hope to come up
with him. but certainly did want to come in
second. So when We broke camp that morning
and prepared for start, said:
Now. boys. I'm going to let some Of the rest
of you pilot the wagon to ID y. while take lit
tie hunt, for a change. | Want to kill another
old bull before this thing is over"
Boyd cheerfuly took charge OF the wagon,
leaving the rest of Us to HURT on the way back.
Which way will you 60, RUSSELL asked, as
we got into our saddles.
"Wel" after little thought. he said II think
I'll try my luck off east Of here"
NY heart had been in my n Youth until he de-
clared his choice for all the previous day and
all the morning had had feeling that there
must be some buffalo in the had lands to tie
west. had spoken of it TO Jim, and wanted to
test the ground, SO when Russo II chose the other
direction we Immediately head ed for the coun-
try which strongly attracted AS it used
to be said. II felt it in my bones that there
were buffalo there. for no had been
there lately
The morning was simply glorious The sun
shine flooded the bare hills with warm light, the
air still, the sky cloudess. and it seemed
like day in September More than once we
remarked upon the loneliness of the weather, but
agreed that it could not last m uch longer. AT
that time there was not a fake of snow the
ground, aud dreaded the coming of any
But with nineteen buffalo AREA dy in hand, we
had little cause to be anxious for the future,
whatever the weather might be.
While the wagon pulled off no rtheast back to-
ward camp, Jim and l rode of west into the
rugged country from which yVe first sighted
hx.G. IL $h.N l. A. Is a.
We met big herd of antelope that came
trooping over a ridge straight toward u.s. and
although we might easily have shed some
innocent blood there would have been
excuse for doing so, and We did not fire
shot smooth hillside off to c nr left was al
most covered with range cattle, baskug in the
warm sunshine as they leisurelv cropped the
snort grass. A little further on lack rabbit al
| most snow white. jumped up out of patch of
| sage brush, furled his huge ears back upon his
| neck ard shot down the side of a rav:ne like an
! arrow When far enough away tn at be felt GER
| tain We could not hit him with Winchester be
stopped suddenly sat high up on his launches
| to look at and view the landscape DER, then
off he went again into coulie an out of sight
| A perfect north-pole GOODNESS had developed
some time previously between Boy d and Russell,
| and as Jim and rode leisurey along side by
| side mechanically looking for buffalo all the
! while. We discussed it. We were riding up the
bed of grassy hollow which lay between two
| high ridges and were talking abou the virtues
! of patience and forbearance and now much a
| man ought to endure before starting fight,
| when, just we rode up to rocky point that
had hidden the upper end Of the valley from our
! view.
"Goodheavens. jim, yonder,sabigbuN,'
1 saw him first, owing to my position. We
| pulled up instantly. The old bull wins grazing,
| with his head in cur direction. and he US
| as quickly as we dil him. Up went his head. he
| wheeled on his hind legs. and in two seconds
had dashed out OF sight behind point. He was
| hundred and fifty yards away when we first
No ~
after him as hard as we could CO. snatching off
our thick gloves and unslinging our lies as we
dashed along. Was the old fellow all alone7 We
were both very badly mounted. and would we
| get him!
Two hundred yards from point Of discov-
cry we came TO the head of the hollow and
saw the buffalo just .gallopng over the
top OF the. Steep, rocky hill which rose
from our feet For the first twenty feet
the ascent was very steep. rocky and difficult.
| l had instinctively yielded the lead to
Jim, as being 1.-THE boss" buffalo hun ter but
when he headed his pony for the only DR. ,c,cable
which lay at the bottom, and suddenly sheered
off ten feet to one side. Jim ground hiu teeth
and spurreG and cussed. and seeing the path
| thus suddenly cleared for me- spurred forward
instantly. My horse responded gaan sly and
we were on ground fit to gallop over Ion before
Jim overlook AT the earliest possible mo
ment gave my horse the spurs, and I've few
forward at tearing gaop. He was good on a
short run, but he lacked staying power and
knew that if we did not overhaul that buffalo
Immediately and ito wunst," it would be ..good
evening" for me.
AS we reached the level Of the ridge the bull
was just disappearing in the next hollow A
few bounds further and pulled up short, rprane
to the ground, jerked the reins over my orse.
head, and prepared to fire. l knew was sure
of one shot, and felt that when the old bull came
up out of the hollow he would pause an iiussan
on the opposite side to look back. determined
to take the chances of his doing so.
l had hardly reached the ground when the ole
monarch hove in sight. scrambling QUICKLY ant
even easily up the sloping bank. 1t was tempt
ing but said to myself, Don't be such ., foo
as to fire into that buffalo's hind-quartersl We
while!" In twenty yarde more he stood upo,
the top of the little hill, ard hope to die If b.
didn't stop. wheel around and look at me-
| had covered him with my rife long before that
and when he turned | brought my sight to hea
on the shoulder that next to me, we'll for
ward. and pretty low down--"Foreleg-lu
heart"
Bang!
would have bet Thousand dollars that had
hit exactly where held. He $50 yards
away, the bright sun shone full upon him, h
was in the very prime of life, and oh. man. how
fine he did look! He king of his kind.
shall never forget it to my dying day
Iheard my ball strike his thick hide. he et.v'